Semiautomatic apparatus for electroperforating shoes or the like



Jan. 16, 1951 2,538,580

J. W. MEAKER SEMIAUTOMATIC APPARATUS FOR ELECTROPERFORATING SHOES OR THE LIKE Filed April 9, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ili- ,e4 Y:

INVENTOR. Jan PV. Nea'er @Wm/@M ATTUH/VEVJ Jan. 16, 1951 J w MEKER 2,538,580

SEMIAUTOMATIC APP'ARA'US FOR ELECTROPERFORATING SHOES 0R THE LIKE Filed April 9, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Jo/m VM Me a/fer A TTOR/VEVS Patented Jan. 16, 1951 `SEMI,AUTOlVINlIC APPARATUS 'FOR EIiEvC- Taoemtjoamrme snonsaemrnnfnmn .Lohan-.Magen 151er?.632

Appiipaioylprne; 1947',seria1No. @40,131.16 fr y v f5 Claims.. l vm... This invention relates 4t) a semi-automatic .machine 'for jelectro-perforating shoes er; similar articlesofv various sizesfandf'shapes* f Attempts have "fbeenwrnade -to design la fullyl automatic machine for electro-performing shoes; but due to" Vmanif ',vari'ableiactors involved, suchi-as the `:sizesafid shapes of shoesf-*thevariationsin "trimmings, y"valriations in *the density andfb'er structure ofthe leatheri or other ima-f terilffrdm whith- 'shos re PPniadIel-, #ewfsugh 'autonatielma'chine havej'n roven'to-'be-sagtisi 11jx is an iobject ofv'thfe 'ito' pfrovide a machine tor i n at`fis'satisfactory'-for ivl` use orifallfl'pes fo ys ,lfloiezsfwherethe op'- ratio'n of the machinisunder `,the-controlof the operator at r".aJlltimes and V44by means of Hx/xghih cmg, strap's' (Brother-trimmings. Y A11-"f machine-f of "this characterY *in* which' the l :platform `mil-ofinsulatingmlaterial onfffwhchifl'ili shoe 1|.I or other .article toabe `perforated may be held by any suitable `lmeans.' :In-the illus.` trated embodiment,- `the .shoe ,H -is Aheld between a heel iplate l2 and fafmovahleatoepiece -fl Swhich areesecured to'thesplattorm.' Y lThe toe Epiece 'ISffisvslidably .mounted Aina .slot 1,4 in the ypladtlormzso .that it may bemoved to different positions :toeaccommodate warioussizes of shoes? The -ftoef'rpiecev i3 .resiliently urged toward the .heelzplate .42' andfinto leng-agement with'ithe toe oftheshoe'll ybya-sprng`^-.l Eghavi-ng one fend vsecu-red'to thetoe fpiecel and .its other endisecuredI Y--to the platformaf 'f The I.lillatform ,l l] isisupported 4on a rock Vshaft t6, ithe lends :of which .fareijominalled for tpivotecl in spports'or :brackets d zhextendinggfrom fa moved therefrom 'fat the same time f although they'wouldebe Ftreatedeindividually.

An 'electrode *2:0 :isflocatedinside rof 4the .shoe

with the 'inner-surface of the shoef-byfapbladderf yarn such assilvercordinet thread;l A metallic yarn Lof Vthis typeisbcomposed of Aa number of;

ne Awires "..twisted .togethe1'-'.-:anclI yhas E beenl found to be suioiently exiblefffor knitting pur-poses. 'l-lhisgknitted;*socklike'electrode is .close meshed and is .fex'pansble -fin 'both'-length ,and diameter.

Sucht-lan electredefis AVan'exoellent' conductor l of electricity-and fitsf-mesh when v'knit with vthe tric discharge may' i be 5 passed thi"ough-ithe fina-1 teri'alof theas'hoe at practicallysanypoi-nt tofs-uch" `The"b1aclder 2! may'be'inflated by any .suitable .meansf a-'lball fhand pum-13T 22y suitable fo'r thispurpose'ibeingl 'fil-lustratedi'v `The `bladder f-is alsol provided with' :am air release 'valve f 23 )so athat of :thefelectrde -ffromfgrthe fsh'oe.; `In placingftheelectrode in Lthe shoefethe bla-dder .i2-I :may bel first inserted in the sock-like electrode and partially inflated to Support the electrode as it is being placed inside of the shoe. In this connection it may be found helpful and desirable in some instances to place a stiffening member inside of the bladder or inside of the sock-like electrode in addition to the bladder to support the electrode and bladder While being inserted inside of the shoe. After the sock-like electrode and the bladder have been placed inside of the shoe, the bladder is then iniiated so as to expand the electrode and urge it into intimate contact with the inner surfaces of the shoe. As the bladder is inflated, it will expand in all directions until it fills the inside of the shoe and it will therefore force the electrode into contact with all of the contours of the inner surface of the shoe including curved surfaces such as those around the instep. It will be understood that the use of the term pneumatic is intended to apply to inflation of the bladder by water or other means as well as air.

While an individual, expansible, sock-like electrode 20 and its bladder 2l will fit a considerable range of sizes and shapes of shoes, it is probable that the individual electrode and bladder will not fit all sizes and shapes of shoes and there may be provided several such electrodes and bladders in such sizes as are necessary to fit the various sizes and shapes of shoes that are to be treated.

While the knit sock-like electrode and pneumatic bladder have been found to be most satisfactory, other forms of inner electrode may be used in the machine if desired. For example, the sock-like electrode may be fitted over a footshaped piece of sponge rubber or other material so that it may be compressed to the appropriate size and shape as it is placed inside of the shoe. The inner electrode 20 is connected to one side of a suitable source of electrical energy for a discharge circuit. In the apparatus illustrated, the inner electrode 20 is electrically connected through a series of current-limiting fixed resistances 2li to one side of a six thousand to eight thousand volt secondary of a stepup transformer 25. The connection to the electrode 20 may be made by a detachable spring clip 26 so that one electrode may be readily disconnected and another connected as desired. The other side of thesecondary of the transformer is electrically connected to an electrode 21. The electrode 21 is supported at the end of a handle or wand 28 of insulating material so that the electrode may be manually manipulated. The electrode 21 is secured to the handle 28 so that an elongated, flat side is in position to be passed over the outer surface of the shoe. A roller 29 may be placed on the flat side of the electrode so that it will move over the surface of the shoe easily without scratching or marring it.

The primary of the transformer may be connected to a suitable source of electrical energy, such as the usual 110-120 volt, 60 cycle alternating current, by means of an electrical connector or plug 30 that fits any usual electrical outlet. In the circuit with the primary of the transformer, there is a pair of switches 3| and 32, a variable resistance 33 and a fuse 34. The switches 3l and 32 are located, respectively, in the rock shaft handle I9 for turning the shoe platform and in the handle of the wand 28 carrying the manually manipulated electrode. These switches are of the type that are normally held open by spring action and both of which must be depressed by the operator to complete the circuit when he operates the machine. This provides a human interlock safety feature since the operator must use both hands to close the circuit to the primary of the transformer and the instant either hand is released from operating position, the circuit is opened and the current is shut off.

The variable resistance 33, the transformer 25 and the series of fixed resistances 24 may be mounted inside of the 'base I8 with their appropriate wiring connections. This provides a selfcontained unit that may be readily moved from place to place and set up wherever desired. The variable resistance 33 is provided with a knob 35 by means of which the resistance may be adjusted by the operator so as to control the current to the transformer and thus the intensity of the discharge between the electrodes in accordance with the grade and types of material that is being perforated.

`'Io operate the machine, the operator grasps the handle I3 of the rock shaft and depresses the switch 3| therein with one hand while he holds the Wand 28 carrying the electrode 21, and depresses the switch 32 therein vwith the otherhand. The operator then passes the electrode 21 over the surface of the shoe. As discharges occur between the electrodes, they can be readily observed by the operator and he is able to judge. bythe appearance of the arc and the number of discharges which appear to be going through the leather or other material, just how to maneuver the electrode or to adjust the current for proper results. The operator then guides the electrode over areas where perforations are desired and avoids areas which are not to be perforated, for. example, the trimmings and stitched areas. If the desired perforation of a given area proves to be more difficult than other areas, the operator can either pass the electrode over such areas several times to obtain the desired perforations or. he can increase the intensity of the discharge by regulating the current. The complete perforation of a shoe can be carried out very rapidly withsuch a machine when operating with the ordinary 60 cycle alternating current as there will be in the order of dis-1, charges passing through the shoe each second sol that a shoe maybe satisfactorily perforated inl from twenty to thirty seconds. i l

A somewhat modified sock-like electrode 36 isr illustrated in Fig. 6. This electrode is similar.

to the previously described electrode except thatv there is a toe section 31 knit of ordinary yarn` in order that the electrodes may be knit by machine. The same may also be true of the heel and top of the electrode. However, this does not affect the operation or function of such anl electrode particularly since these portions of the electrode are generally located inside of the shoe where perforation is either not possible, as under the box toe, or necessary. i

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described and illustrated herein, 'it will be understood by those skilled in the art that" charge, the combination of an expansible elec-A trodeshaped to fit inside of an article of wearing apparel, pneumaticallyinflatable means-fit-Y ted within the 4expansible electrode for expanding the electrode carried thereon and maintaining said electrode in contact With the inner surface of said article, a second electrode located on the outside of said article and having a smaller discharge surface area than the rst-mentioned electrode, said second electrode being engageable with a limited area on the outer surface of the article and movable independently of the eX- pansible electrode over the outer surface of the article in opposed relation to the expansible electrode, a platform supporting the article with the expansible electrode and the inflatable means inside thereof, said platform and the article supported thereon being movable relative to the second electrode, and a circuit connecting said electrodes to a source of high voltage electrical current, said current being capable of passing an electrical arc discharge between the electrodes and through the article.

2. In an apparatus for perforating articles of wearing apparel of various sizes and shapes having irregularly shaped, recessed interiors by an electrical arc discharge, the combination of an expansible electrode shaped to t inside of an article of Wearing apparel, said electrode being knit from an electrically conductive yarn and conforming to the contour of the inside of the article when expanded, an inflatable bladder f1tted Within said electrode, said bladder when inflated expanding the electrode supported thereon and maintaining said electrode in contact with the inner surface of the article, a second electrode located on the outside of the article, said second electrode having a discharge surface area smaller than the surface of the expansible electrode and being movable independently of the expansible electrode over the outer surface of the article in opposed relation to the expansible electrode, a platform supporting the article with the expansible electrode and the bladder inside thereof, said platform and the article supported thereon being movable relative to the second electrode, and means for supplying a high voltage electrical current connected to the electrodes capable of passing an electrical arc discharge between the electrodes and through the article.

3. In an apparatus for perforating by an electrical discharge articles of wearing apparel of various sizes and shapes having recessed interiors, the combination of an expansible electrode shaped to fit inside of an article of wearing apparel, pneumatically inflatable means tted within said electrode, hand operated means for 'expanding the inflatable means and the electrode supported thereon into contact with the inner surface of said article, a platform supporting the article with the expansible electrode and the inflatable means inside thereof, a second electrode located on the exterior of the article, said second electrode having a discharge area smaller than the expansible electrode and being movable independently of the expansible electrode over the' outer surface of the article in opposed relation to the expansible inner electrode, means for moving said platform and the article supported thereon relative to the second electrode and a circuit connecting said electrodes to a source of high voltage electrical current capable of passing an electrical arc discharges, the combination of an expansible inner electrode located inside l of a shoe, said electrode having a sock-like shape and being knit of an electrically conductive yarn, an lo inflatable bladder located inside of said expansible electrode, said bladder being shaped to t within said electrode, means for inflatingV said bladder and expanding the electrode supported thereon into contact with the inner surfaces of the shoe, a second electrode located on the outside of the shoe and having a discharge area smaller than the surface of the expansible electrode, said second electrode being movable over the outer surface of the shoe independently of and in opposed relation to the expansible electrode, a platform supporting the shoe with the expansible electrode and bladder inside thereof, said platform and the shoe supported thereon being movable relative to the second electrode, and acircuit connecting said electrodes to a source of high voltage electrical current, said current being capable of passing an electrical arc discharge between the electrodes and through the shoe.

5. In an apparatus for perforating a shoe by electrical arc discharges, the combination of an expansible inner electrode located inside of a shoe, said electrode having a sock-like shape and being knit of an electrically conductive yarn, an inflatable bladder located inside of said expansible electrode, said bladder being shaped to lt within said electrode and supporting said electrode in contact with the inner surfaces of the shoe When inflated, a second electrode located on theoutside of the shoe, said second electrode being manually movable over the outer surface of the shoe independently of and in opposed relation to the expansible electrode located inside of the shoe, a circuit connecting said electrodes to a source of high Voltage electrical current, said currentbeing capable of passing an electrical arc discharge between they electrodes and through the'shoe, a platform supporting the shoe With the expansible electrode located inside thereof, said platform being rockable for moving the shoe supported thereon relative to the second electrode.

JOHN W. MEAKER.

REFERENCES CITED f The following references are of record in the flle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

